zen and the art of running.

today i slip into my new black running tights, throw on my adidas zip-up, and lace my Nikes for the first time this season.  i have some awesome songs on my blackberry and have stolen the husband's over-the-ear headphones (that never slip off my head).  the weather is fabulous - sunny, bright, warm(ish) - and i can't wait to feel the rays on my face.  i feel like i have been waiting to do this forever.

i head out, walk briskly for a bit before increasing my pace.  and i run.  i find my rhythm quite easily and it feels like i never stopped.  i follow the well worn path into the ravine behind our subdivision and revel in the fact that i am OUTSIDE in the SUN!  i don't worry about the mess that is my house.  i don't worry about long overdue case notes.  i don't worry about emails.  i am one with nature.  my mind and body are linked.  i am zen.

until about 3 minutes in.  my breath starts to burn in my chest and i kind of feel a little dizzy.  even my lips start to throb because the blood moving through my veins is pumping at a furious clip.  i am already hot and sweaty.  (definitely not in a GOOD way)  and i realize i have to slow down.  to a walk.  funny enough, my legs are willing, but my lungs are not.  i walk for a bit till i catch my breath and then run again.  but soon i realize i have to slow to a walk.

after 20 minutes of this run-walk-desperately try to catch my breath routine, i head for home.  sad that it feels like i am right back where i started when i first started running years ago, when i first got sick and was much heavier.  even knowing that i am lighter than before i had the baby is no consolation for the fact that i am in sad shape.  and it's not like anyone is necessarily paying attention to the fact that my muffin top is definitely squishy-ier, and that i have lost some muscle mass, but i am disappointed in the old body.  sigh.  5K feels VERY far away right now.

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frontline.

best present that i received today.  seriously. the lyrics are amazing.  you have exquisite taste!!!!!

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happy friday!

the weather is getting warmer, all the ice at the park has melted, and it's nice enough outside to run around in the sunshine without 50 layers of clothing on!  not only is it friday, but tomorrow is supposed to be absolutely brilliant!!!!  yay, weekend!  where have you been all week???????

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funny spam.

i check my blackberry this morning and there are two interesting emails.  because run of the mill "spam" barely ever makes it to my inbox (you know, those ones where the subject line says "dearest one" and they want you to cash a cheque for 1 million nigerian dollars at the local ATM) i sort of assume it's legitimate.  one looks like it's from someone i know, so i open it.  i am surprised to see a carefully tailored spam email with information on gold, sterling and copper wire and where to buy it.  while informative and surprisingly relevant, definitely NOT sent by the person i know (this dude's name is "mike smith".  riiiighhht.  i'm sure that's his real name)

the second email is from a "trevor something-or-other".  now the only trevor i know is currently residing in Heaven and while i am sure God has a state-of-the-art computer facility up there, my trevor would probably be surfing for pictures of inappropriate heavenly bodies or celestially raunchy jokes and not sending emails.  however, now i'm intrigued.  i open it, and it's from a well known canadian bank (hello, BMO!) which offers small business loans to "green" businesses.  funny enough, this trevor guy goes on to write that it's from my blog that they have read that i use reclaimed and "green" materials/processes and they want to encourage small businesses in canada to continue to do that.  huh.  didn't think it made a difference to anyone but me.

i have to say i'm impressed.  spam these days (and i'm not talking about the meat product - even though i'm sure THAT'S great in it's own meaty way) have gotten quite elaborate.  i'm astonished to realize that they now have amazing high-tech ways to cyber-stalk you and may actually have useful information to send!

while i am not going to respond to mr. smith or mr. trevor, i applaud their spammy efforts.  it's nice to know that there is a spybot out there trolling my blog and all of this that i write.  ;)  pass the SPAM, please!

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jump in the river.

for some reason, this amazing song has been in my head all day.  i remember wanting to be like ms. o'connor - shaved head and all.  alas, i think my skull is somewhat misshapen and i fear that having no hair will reveal a multitudes of dents, weird lumps and odd angles.  so i remain in envy of sinead's beauty and talent.  (but not her mental health struggles.)

let's jump in the river, baby!  skinny dipping, anyone?

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late. it's one of those days already.

so it's already one of those days.  slept in.  bad hair.  no time for cardio.  scheduled to be in court all morning.  restless toddler.  ruined about 6 inches of sterling with my torch with a botched earring design (and yes, i burned myself again).  no idea what to make for dinner.

appropriately, here is ben folds' "late" as covered by paul sahner.  lovely tribute to the late elliott smith.  that ben knows how to write a mean melancholy romantic lyric- which is evident since the dude has been married four times.

now off to put the recycling out.  hope your day is better than mine!

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1983. perfect for a crappy monday morning.

found this little ditty in my inbox yesterday morning - swoon.  love love love it - thank you!!!  and it's perfect for a rainy, gloomy MONDAY morning like this. 

i do have to say, if we went back in time, i wouldn't have been doing these things with you in 1983 - i was only 10.

(excuse the typos in this youtube video. i seriously don't know why people don't use spellcheck before they upload things publicly to the internet. but i appreciate the effort.)

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the smaller, the better.

you don't hear THAT everyday. (*wink wink*)  but certainly in this case, small is awesomely fabulous.  with some time on my hands this weekend, i've been working on an even smaller version of my tiny bud open hoop earring... and here it is!  at just over 1/4" in diameter (the other ones are about 1/2"), these are perfect for people with multiple piercings or tiny earlobes.

i've been experimenting with texture as well, and there will be a version that is hammered (similar to the original style), one that is more of a "flathead" (see picture) and then one that is perfect just as it is (like in this listing).  they photograph beautifully too.  but the best thing about these earrings?  the reclaimed sterling silver wire i have been working with to make them is pretty flawless.  it makes me feel a little virtuous to be making something that is eco-friendly as well as super stylish - and at $10, a steal as well!  want a pair????

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hey little DJ!

got your Rhymes going round in my head
got your supersonic beats mixing up my Keds

so dance little DJ come on

what's your name?

i wanna move but I don't feel right

'cause you've been playing other peoples songs all night

so tell what you're trying to say

what's your name?

hey rollover DJ

you're spinning away

on my time

hey, who cares what you play
say whatever you say, I don't mind
hey, roll over DJ, if you don't mind

~ JET

(this kid loves music.  i sense a future DJ on our hands.)

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early sunday morning browsing.

if i had a million dollars, i'd buy you...

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fade into you.

way before norah jones, there was hope sandoval.  not only does she rock because of this song, but because she also collaborated with massive attack, the jesus & mary chain, and my bloody valentine.  seriously one of the best songs ever.

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